Foreign Ministry: Agreement between Azerbaijan and EU shows country's aim at development of cooperation with Europe

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Seba Agayeva - Trend:

The signing of a visa facilitation agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union is a bright indicator of the fact that the country is aimed at development of cooperation with the EU countries, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elman Abdullayev told Trend on Nov.29.

"The agreement is extremely important in terms of Azerbaijan's integration to Europe, expansion of cooperation and rapprochement with Europe. Of course, contacts between people's and nations are the basis of cooperation," Abdullayev said.

Azerbaijan and the European Union signed a visa facilitation agreement within the third Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius on Nov.29.

The document was signed by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, European Commissioner Stefan Fule and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius.

Elman Abdullayev said that today Azerbaijan is a country which has a strategic importance for the region, as well as for the EU.

The strategic partnership with the EU will continue to develop, he said.

The visa facilitation agreement signed between Azerbaijan and the EU envisages reducing of the amount of the fee for Schengen visa for the Azerbaijani citizens.

In addition, the fees will be abolished for certain categories of the Azerbaijani citizens. This will cover citizens which go to EU countries for education, treatment or to visit their relatives.

After the signing there will begin ratification procedures in National Assembly (parliament) of Azerbaijan and in the European Parliament. Thereafter both of the documents will enter into force.

In addition, it is necessary to sign bilateral agreements with the countries that enter the Schengen Area, but are not the EU members (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein).